Jude's throat was so dry that he was sure a fire could've sparked in the very depths of it. But he couldn't...swallow. He couldn't swallow, he
couldn't breathe...he definitely couldn't move. He was like some wide-eyed deer sitting on that couch. He was stuck, staring into the high beams of
some oncoming car and he was definitely sure that he was about to start the replay of his life any moment. And couldn't help but wonder, as he sat
there on that old, but comfortable couch-was this what guys felt when it came time to play "meet the parents"? Well, it wasn't exactly him,
meeting the parents because he wasn't really...with...Kaili, in the first place. The kiss had been the first and the last of anything that had to do
with something besides friendship as they kept avoiding talking about it in the first place. Okay, maybe not they. He. Jude could tell that
she wanted to talk about it every time he showed up on the Shore to spend some time with her there. But instead of opening up, he just...sat there.
Made small talk. Listened to more 'lore, which Kaili could barely talk about as her mind was somewhere else, thanks to him...and his stupid kiss.
So, yeah...no "Meet the Parents" for Jude that night. That wasn't even in the plans for he and Kaili. Their night was supposed to be short. Just a
short visit was what Jude had said, him leaving in enough time to get back to his apartment before Mauli's shift at the station ended. If Mauli
expected anything...especially the fact that his nephew had been sneaking off back to the Shore, which was the exact place that his Uncle had banned
him from...permanently, there would be no definition to the type of "dead" that Jude would be. And usually, his Unc's threats didn't really do much.
He shrugged them off because they were usually worse bark for the bite. But...there was something in Mauli's eyes that said...he wasn't to be fucked
with when it came to the Shore. Yet, Jude still defied him and...it seemed that fate had Mauli's side. Or maybe the Gods that Kaili talked about so
often didn't like the idea of a defiant kid or something because the storm that was beating at the windows of Kaili's house said that they weren't
going anywhere soon. Much worse...Kaili's mother said the same thing...
Shifting uncomfortably, Jude looked at Kaili and then quickly at the kitchen door that her mother had disappeared behind. His eyes lingered there,
mostly because he couldn't shake the feeling that her mother had never actually left in the first place...and those eyes that looked JUST like Kaili's
were still watching him, peering at him a little too closely. Maybe that was how all of the Moku watched the outsiders. But it was just, odd. The way
she watched him as she spoke to him, rejecting his near-pleading for her to let him go back to the other side of the island. Her eyes never left him.
Almost like she was...studying him. Like she...yeah, annnnd he was being completely paranoid.
"Your mom..." He whispered, his eyes still on the closed kitchen door. "...really isn't gonna let me go home tonight, is she?"
Man has a choice and it's a choice that makes him a man...
This was going to be the most awkward night of her life. She had gone out with Jude today hoping they would finally talk about what had happened
between them the night of homecoming but, as usual, he avoided it when she tried bringing it up, asking her to give him a little 'lore as they laid
against the cold black sand of Kai Pulehu. They stayed there as the storm brewed only leaving when the sky fell dark, the clouds heavy with the coming
storm. They'd made it to her street just as the rain began to pour and even in the short distance between the street and the house, the two of them
were left soaked once they entered. Her mother had brought towels for the two of them and led them to the living room as they patted themselves
somewhat dry...and now they were here. Sitting awkwardly at separate ends of her sofa saying...nothing. Keahi and her father were nowhere to be found
and her mother had excused herself to grab Jude something dry to wear and start tea. She did the later first, the smell of Kona Coffee filling the
room, probably for her father.
She hated this. With her mother's decree that no one would leave in the storm, she basically had him trapped here. That was no good to her if he
wasn't willing to talk about what happened though. Ugh! Why couldn't he just tell her yes or no? Were they a couple or weren't they? What did she have
to do, send a note telling him to check the box? Ugh. She sighed a little hoping he would take that as a bit of a cue to fill the silence. He looked
to her, but only for a second, his eyes falling back on the kitchen door as if he were waiting for her mother to pop out and yell surprise. Why was he
so tense? His voice whispered out to her, finally breaking the awkward silence between them...well the silence, anyway.
"Nope. It's supposed to be bad so...you're kinda stuck...Sorry-," she threw him a bit of a half smile before looking away again...he probably didn't
want to be here and...in a way, she didn't want him to be. Not if he was going to keep treating her like that kiss never happened. "I guess we can
think of something to tell your uncle while we sit here." She smiled again, but sympathetically. That would have to be a hell of a lie...
"Kaili, go change before you catch something in those wet clothes-," her mother had returned and probably had done the one thing Jude didn't want to
happen. Separate the two of them. Kaili sighed, her eyes finding Jude's before standing as her mother passed Jude a shirt and some shorts of Keahi's,
"Kaili can show you to the bath room on the way to her room-," she smiled at him, the curious smile that had been on her lips since they entered and
though Kaili chose not to bring attention to it, it didn't go unnoticed...
I'll let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans;
be your teenage dream tonight.
Stuck. Great. Just...great. He deserved this. Really, he did. And he knew he did. All those years of making his Unc's life a complete hell
with his...attitude and his...anger and now, he was going to get it all back when he finally made it back to that cramped apartment that he shared
with Mauli on the other side of the island. And when he got back there...all hell was going to break loose. The one thing. The one thing that Mauli
had asked of him and like his normal defiant self, Jude ignored his demand. This time, something told Jude that it whatever happened because of his
disobedience wasn't going to just "slide" off his back like it normally did. No, this time...the retaliation from his Uncle was going to hurt.
Confinement to the house. Taking away his bike...maybe even...refusing to let him see Kaili ever again. And even though he'd been keeping
away from the conversation that he was too confused to have with her, not being able to see her or the Shore again mattered. It mattered more than
Jude could say.
A silent "fuck" escaped him, his lips tightening as soon as he uttered word. He looked to Kaili's face, her sympathetic eyes searching his. He looked
away before she could see the real reason behind his anger. This was his dream. Being stranded on the Shore...with her. In his imagination, her father
would've come home...so happy to see Jude. He wouldn't hesitate to tell Jude more 'lore and her mother would...cook in the warm, inviting kitchen,
filling the house with food smells and he would...have something home-cooked for the first time in...ever (as far as he remembered). And then, they'd
talk...laugh the night away as the storm battered the outside of the house. They'd be safe inside. Warm. And everything on the outside wouldn't
matter. But... But Jude knew that reality didn't live in dreams; because if they did, his life would've been a whole lot different
than it was. No, he knew tonight was going to be as uncomfortable as it was to sit on that sofa...his wet clothes and hair sticking to his skin.
With a jolt, Jude turned as soon as he heard Kaili's mother's soft, but firm, voice again, telling Kaili to change her clothes and take him to the
guest bathroom to change into something dry. Something of...Keahi's. Great. He got to wear her brother's clothes. As if it wasn't enough to
know that he'd probably still be there when Keahi came home from doing whatever the hell he did at night. Shit...what if he brought Nui?
Avoiding those curious eyes, Jude quickly muttered a quiet "thanks", taking the clothes from her hands and following close behind Kaili. "Your
mom's...nice. She doesn't have to do this..."
Man has a choice and it's a choice that makes him a man...
She kind of felt bad for him, stuck on the wrong side of the island and the right side of trouble. The one time she'd met his uncle he made it quite
clear that he didn't like Jude being there, or with her, or...whatever and now here he was...and it was kind of her fault, jumping at any chance to
talk to him--preferably about them--even though she knew there was a storm coming. She should have told him no. She should have told him that they'd
hang out another time or at least made sure he got home before the storm hit...but she didn't...damn. Well, they had plenty of time to think up some
story to tell his uncle. cop or not, he didn't seem to ask Jude too many questions so he should probably be okay with something like breaking down
near a classmates house and waiting out the storm...that's kind of true anyway right? Did it matter?
She was snapped form her thoughts as her mother returned, instructing her to change and take Jude to do the same. She nodded to Jude, a silent request
for him to follow her down the hall toward the back of the house. He did so, a silent thanks to her mother before they moved away from her and she
moved back into the kitchen. They began quietly down the hall, Jude following closely behind Kaili as he spoke, his words just above a whisper.
Doesn't have to do what? She wasn't going to allow him to stay in those wet clothes, just like she wasn't going to allow him to leave in that storm.
That was the way it was. Anyone who entered their home was automatically treated as family...of course the only people who had entered their home had
been Moku...That kind of thing didn't matter to her mother though and even if she was, she knew that Kaili cared about Jude. That meant she would too.
"Let her care about you Jude. If you don't she'll force it on you and then it'll just be awkward-," she giggled a little, looking back at him as they
stopped at the bathroom door. She opened her mouth to say something like, voila, or here we are or something. Instead her thoughts spilled
into her mouth and then out of it. "Probably more awkward than you avoiding me the way you have been."
Oops. But it was true. They both knew that Jude had been avoiding a talk that was beginning to weigh on their relationship. She wouldn't clean it up.
She was going to stick to her guns. "Don't you think we should talk about it Jude?" She paused, waiting for a reply before she determined...maybe
there wasn't one. "Or...is there nothing to talk about?"
I'll let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans;
be your teenage dream tonight.
As soon as he'd said those words about Kaili's mother, Jude knew that Kaili wouldn't understand where they came from as soon as he uttered them. Her
mother was being...nice to him. And niceties were something that the Shore was seriously short on. Aside from Kaili, no one had really taken the time
to offer him anything outside of an dismissal from the Shore and the threat of a sure ass whooping if he stayed a second longer. But this was...weird.
Having someone offer him clothes, a place to stay...and safety? Jude had never seen this kind of kindness...well except for from Kaili. But she was
different. Honestly, he'd never seen it from anyone outside the Shore either. No one really looked twice at him when he was growing up with only a
completely clueless cop who loved his job too much and his blood not enough as a guardian. Sure, he'd been taken care of, but there was always
something that looked a bit...off when people looked at Jude. His shoes had always been a little too big. His clothes, pressed poorly enough to still
see wrinkles. His hair, way too long and way too wild. Sure he was clean, provided for and fed. But there was that one thing that had gone missing for
way too long. A woman's touch...a mother's touch.
Let her care about you Jude... As he walked behind Kaili, warm clothes in his arms, he wasn't too sure that he wouldn't just go ahead and
take her advice. For once in his life, he'd let himself be "mothered". Just long enough to ignore that he'd be "uncled" soon enough. And THAT would be
at the back of his mind until the storm that was only building up, died down and he was allowed to head home. The lie that he would tell his Uncle had
to be epic enough to keep Mauli out of his face...and the secret of Jude returning to the Shore safely hidden.
Slowing to a halt, they stopped at a closed door. The bathroom, of course. Jude didn't have time to roll his eyes at his own "superior" deduction
skills before Kaili's words hit him. And hit him hard. She knew. She knew he was avoiding the issue at hand. The kiss. It wasn't too damn
hard to figure out that he wasn't talking about it as he kept on changing the subject every time Kaili brought it up. But he knew that would only last
so long. And Kaili deserved something other than confused silence...even if that was all that Jude really knew to give.
"Yeah..." He answered her question quietly, turning and leaning against the closed bathroom door. They should talk about it. They should have already
talked about it, instead of him ignoring it like it never happened. But it did happen. And it...was nice. And with any other girl, it would've been
normal. Safe. But with Kaili, it was different. It was totally different...because he went and kissed the most complicated girl of all. A Moku and an
Elder's daughter. And just like he hadn't known a damn thing that had been discussed between Nui and Kaili that night, the true meaning of what Kaili
was went right over his head.
"No...Kaili." He shook his head, the wet hair that he'd pushed off of his face falling back, sticking to the skin again. "I'm...I want to talk about
it, but I just don't...I don't know." He didn't know WHAT to say and the last thing he wanted to do was say the wrong thing.
Man has a choice and it's a choice that makes him a man...
She watched his face twist into the confused stare he always gave her when she brought up this subject. What was there to be confused about? Either he
liked her or he didn't and if he didn't that was fine...But she really hoped he did. Why else would he have kissed her that night and why else would
he still be hanging around? She hated that she couldn't read him when it came to this, but she hated it more that he wouldn't just tell her how he
felt about the whole thing. Even if he was just confused about what had happened between them, that response would at least give her piece of mind.
Him avoiding things only made it seem as if...maybe...maybe it just hadn't meant as much to him. Maybe it was just a one time thing and he didn't want
to hurt her by telling her so. Maybe...
A slow "yeah" fell from his lips as she looked to him, his tall frame leaning against the bathroom door while his eyes studied the floor beneath them.
Yeah. They should talk about it...Well, at least he agreed with her there. He had been putting it off for so long, and she had allowed it, hoping that
he'd bring it up in his own time but...time was up. She was driving herself crazy with the different things he might say or do about the kiss and she
needed a definite answer. She couldn't wait any longer. Maybe that made her pushy. Maybe it made her selfish...So be it.
Nothing followed his yeah. A pregnant pause giving birth to absolutely nothing followed his "yeah" and she sighed, her words echoing her thoughts as
she asked if they really had anything to talk about. He could tell her no and she would leave it at that. Fine. No, they didn't have anything to talk
about. No, things wouldn't go beyond that kiss. No, he wasn't going to string her along anymore. They would be friends and nothing more. Fine. But
that�s not what he said. He did want to talk about it he just didn't...know. Okay...
"You don't know, what?" she asked it quietly, her eyes leaving his as she thought about his response. At least there was one this time. He didn't
know...Neither did she. Relationships were new to her too and she had no idea what they were supposed if he ever told her how he felt about her. What
if he did like her? Then what? What if the kiss hadn't been the mistake she thought he thought it was and he was actually interested in her? Where
would they go from there? She didn't know but, she liked to think that it would be something they could figure out together.
Guess it depended on his answer.
I'll let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans;
be your teenage dream tonight.
Like usual, the obvious confusion that Jude felt spread over his face and like usual, Kaili's eyes searched him. Looked at him, into him...wanting the
answer that he couldn't give every time she asked him about..."them". He could see the confusion in her eyes too. But her's was different. Her's
didn't have anything to do with the kiss they'd shared the night of the homecoming dance, Jude was sure of that. And that was about the only thing
that he was sure of at the moment. Well...not the only thing. He was sure...that that kiss had meant something, even if he didn't really know what the
hell it was. And he knew something else too. He knew that nothing would be simple for him. Not as simple as it seemed like it was for Kaili. Every
time she asked him about that night, about how he felt, Jude could almost hear the hope in her voice. And every time, he wanted to answer back with
the same hope in his. But he didn't have much...hope. He didn't believe farther than that kiss and he couldn't help but wonder why she even did. Jude
wasn't officially Moku as only his blood tied him to that name and he didn't know everything about the people of the Shore. But he could guess, pretty
accurately about what that meant when it came to Kaili. No matter what they wanted...
"I don't know...Kaili." He repeated himself, his voice falling to a whisper, just harsh enough to voice the rise of annoyance that hit him
unexpectedly. Pausing as he stared into her eyes, the irritation fading from his face as he watched her. It wasn't her fault that his back was against
the wall. It wasn't her fault at all. He could've answered sooner, could've told her exactly what he was thinking that same night he'd kissed her
without reason to his damn actions, but he didn't. No matter how on edge he was about the storm, about his Uncle when he found out about his trip back
to the Shore, or about her mother who he knew would probably pop up any moment and catch their conversation, he owed Kaili an answer that she was
due.
"I want to give you an answer...about what I think should happen next. But I don't know." With guilty eyes, he looked away from her, knowing that that
was still NOT the answer that she wanted. He wished he could give her what she wanted. But he could guess exactly what that would mean for him. Either
Keahi or Nui's machete cutting off some necessary part of his body and him never being able to see anything about the Shore again. Including Kaili.
Because everything about Kaili was the Shore. The Shore sun glowed underneath her skin, the folklore of her ancestors from her lips...and she even
walked like the waves. He didn't want to leave the Shore because he was selfish and stupid. He didn't want to be forced to leave her because he was
too ignorant to know the price of being with her.
"But I didn't kiss you for no reason...I didn't. I swear I didn't."
Man has a choice and it's a choice that makes him a man...
Why couldn't he just...let go? She could see his mind moving at a mile a minute, weighing his options, thinking of possible outcomes should he tell
her there was more than just a kiss between them. He didn't have to think about things this hard. To Kaili, a relationship wasn't something to
think about anyway. It was just something two people did. There were no options and the repercussions were meaningless. She wanted him to
stop thinking and just...do. Just say what he wanted, circumstances be damned! If she were an Elder's daughter would this be as difficult a
decision? She couldn't imagine why he would even factor that into the equation; he had no idea what it truly meant...Which might have been what he
meant by he "didn't know". She wanted to tell him. She would love to tell Jude everything there was to know about Moku heritage and she was positive
that he wanted nothing more than to soak it in, but...that was complicated. South Shore was built on secrets and as easy as it was to discover near
anything about a neighbor, elder families were different. No one spoke of what was done by the Kapuna Elima. Not if they valued their lives.
And Kaili valued hers...but she would more so with Jude in it.
She noticed the twinge of annoyance in his voice as he repeated his previous response. He didn't know. She got that. What she didn't understand was
what he didn't know. He didn't know if he wanted to be with her? He didn't know how to tell her he didn't? He didn't know...what? She felt a bit of
annoyance beginning to rise in her as well. Why couldn't he just be frank?...Because he was Jude, and that meant he'd be complicated. As she peered
quietly into him, she waited for something more. She had already responded to "I don't know". She couldn't fix an "I don't know"...what I think
should happen next.... That was what he didn't know. Hell, neither did she. It all depended...
She was about to tell him just what it depended on as he spoke again, assuring her that the kiss wasn't just a kiss, it was...more...and it could be
more than that. She decided not to respond with words, taking her own advice and simply doing. She rose on her toes, her hand meeting the
back of his neck before he could protest as she pressed her lips to his, softly nipping at his bottom lip as she pulled out of the quick kiss. She
smiled at him, putting the space back between them as she spoke, "What should happen next depends on what you want-," she began backing away her eyes
still watching him as he stared at her, stunned. She winked, "Stop thinking so much."
With that Kaili disappeared around the corner, heading into her bedroom to finally change, leaving Jude alone in the hallway. As she left, the door
across from the bathroom creaked open, and her younger brother, Hoku, stepped forward, his lanky frame leaning against the door as he simple looked at
the boy that had been the cause of so much fuss as of late...hm.
"I wouldn't do too much more of that tonight if I were you-," he said with a small smirk, his tone teasing. "Just some friendly advice."
I'll let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans;
be your teenage dream tonight.
There was no "letting it go" with Jude when it came to the Shore. He had to do the right thing, no matter what. There were too many eyes watching him,
in the first place. Just waiting for him to do something that would get him killed, or worse, kicked the hell off of the Shore. And it just
seemed that even thinking about liking a girl like Kaili was one of those surefire things that would end in the end of everything. She wasn't supposed
to be touchable. He could tell that. The way that Keahi had nearly ripped his head off without even the slightest question sent the message that no
words could. Don't fucking touch. Nui's protection of her, whether it be jealousy or not, didn't have to join in in telling him that. He saw
it for what it was. Kaili wasn't meant for him. She wasn't meant for an outsider that only wore the face of someone that should've belonged. But he
didn't...and no matter how much Kaili wanted "them" to be okay, Jude just knew it. It never would be. All of the wanting in the world couldn't make an
Elder's daughter and an outsider "okay"...Keahi and Nui had shown him that...
Silence fell between them as Kaili took in the words he'd said...and some of the ones he didn't say. Jude knew that she could tell exactly what his
problem was. It was in the way that he looked at her whenever they were together. Complete regret in what he'd done that night, but also more regret
for not being able to do it again. Annoyance from how persistent her questions were about what happened on the other side of their kiss and...his own
want to not have any of it end their either. He was so fucking conflicted. So completely...what was she doing. Jude's mind rambling halted as
he watched Kaili rise on her toes, her hand going to the back of his neck. In the familiarity of the moment, Jude wanted to pull away...mostly because
he knew what was coming. Instead he leaned into her, letting his lips touch hers, her teeth biting at him as she pulled away. With a blink, a crooked
smile formed on his lips, his hands lost between pulling her back to him and staying pinned to his sides. Surprise still etched on his face, he
listened to her words, knowing that they were a quiet ultimatum. He knew where she stood and that kiss made it even more obvious. The only thing that
was left was him. He had to figure it out.
As he watched her walk away, his grin turned into a full smile, his face giving away to the pure, leaping...joy inside of him. God, she was making
things difficult. And she knew it. Kaili felt the pull in him towards her and he was almost definite that she would do what it took to sway him in the
right dire-SHIT!
Turning to the right, he heard to voice of a kid that looked like he was...what Keahi should've been before his neck turned into a roll of beef.
Clearing his throat, he nodded at him...and nearly fucking choked at his words! With a nod, Jude smiled.
"I'll remember that..." He said quietly before he backed into the bathroom and closed the door.
Man has a choice and it's a choice that makes him a man...
Jude may have had a point. Okay. Fine. Maybe she had been told that no one would ever approve of more than a friendship between she and Jude.
Hell, why she was allowed to have even that was still a mystery to anyone who saw them together. But until her father told her he was off limits, she
didn't care what anyone else said...and truth be told, she probably wouldn't care what he said either. She liked Jude...as more than just a friend she
could tell �lore to. She liked him as more than that and there was nothing and no one that would stand in her way of seeing if they...worked. She
was pretty sure that he wanted them to work just as much as she did, he was just...scared. Of what her brother might do, how Nui might react...how her
father might feel. But didn't it matter what they wanted? Why couldn't he just focus?
She could tell he wasn't thinking about much of anything, let alone the consequences of their actions, should they be caught doing exactly what they
were doing. She had been holding back the last few times they'd been together, ignoring all of the things inside her that only wanted to kiss him
again...and again, and again after that. Even as she pulled away, the smile that immediately came to his lips only made her want to return to him. The
space between them left her with an odd cold and a sense that something was missing. It was Jude. Kaili knew that already and she also knew what might
happen if she stayed in the hallway. Somehow keeping her cool, she smiled, telling him not to think too hard about them and rounded the corner to her
bedroom. Once behind closed doors, she allowed herself to spaz a little, giving a few quick jumps as a small scream left her lips. She slapped a hand
over her mouth to keep the sound in, before recollecting herself. Gah! Today she was setting herself free. She was going for what she wanted...she
hoped Jude would do the same.
She couldn't get rid of the smile that covered her face as she dug through her drawers, searching frantically for something to wear so that she could
get back to the living room before Jude, or at least meet him in the hallway. She didn't want him to be uncomfortable at all that night. She wanted
him to feel right at home here because...he was. She'd said it before and she meant it then too; Jude was more at home on the Shore than he was on the
other side of the island. Jude would know he belonged here before the night was over, even if she had to stab Keahi in the throat to shut him up.
Tossing her wet clothes to the side she threw on a pair of shorts and one of her gymnastics shirts. Putting her hair into a high bun, she left her
room again, closing her door as she exited. She slowed as she passed the hall bathroom and she could tell Jude was still inside...She'd wait for him
in the living room. There was no point in stalking him or anything...Stepping past the bathroom she made her way into the kitchen finding her mother
pouring freshly made peach mango tea. Her mother smiled at her as she entered the kitchen and it was the same smile she had been giving she and Jude
since they got here. Now was as good a time as any to ask about it..."What?" Kaili asked simply.
"Your friend is cute-," she said sweetly, all-knowing smirk on her lips, "He reminds me of a friend..." she turned then, taking one more cup from the
cabinet above her for Alemana's coffee. A friend? Here? Kaili was about to ask who when she heard a noise behind them...Questions for another time.
I'll let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans;
be your teenage dream tonight.
Staring in the bathroom mirror, Jude pulled at the shirt that hung a little too loosely on his chest. He had to admit, he'd never felt small a day in
his life. He'd always been that "tall, brown boy" or "that Native looking kid". Always inches taller and a little bigger than the rest of the kids in
his classroom. But today, he felt...normal...as he stood in the mirror, adjusting Keahi's shirt on his smaller chest. It felt weird to wear the
clothes of someone that he barely knew. Someone that he would never know as that someone hated the very ground that he walked on. And not because of
anything that Jude had done, but because of the lighter skin that he carried, because of the face that was so familiar, yet completely unknown. And
because of the tongue that had no knowledge of the language of his ancestors. But the funny thing was that soon enough, Keahi would have a completely
valid reason to hate him. He wouldn't need to hate Jude because of who he thought Jude was. No, he could hate him because of what he knew Jude
did. To not have to fear his life inside of the house that Kaili shared with her family had to have only been because Nui had kept the kiss
that he'd walked in on quiet from his best friend, which was a good thing. He actually hadn't sold him out. Jude was grateful and if Nui wouldn't have
pulled his spine out through his mouth (thanks to that last meeting they'd had), Jude would've actually thanked the guy for preventing his sure death.
But staying out of trouble wasn't something that Jude knew how to do on the Shore. For the second time, he and Kaili had been caught kissing...and by
her OTHER brother. Great. The way they were going, Alemana was sure to catch them by the end of the night.
Smoothing the shirt that didn't belong to him down on his chest (like that would make it fit any better), Jude gave himself one final look. The plain
white shirt. The basketball shorts that didn't hang as badly as the shirt did. Wearing another guy's clothes was almost as weird as walking in another
man's shoes, he guessed. He couldn't help but wonder what it would've been like to spend a day as Keahi. To go and do whatever it was that he did at
night. But just like Keahi was completely clueless of his life, Jude was the same ignorant. He didn't know what it was like to be the son of a guy who
was a leader of people. He didn't know what his responsibilities were, nor did he know the weight of what his title really meant. And secretly, Jude
was curious. More than curious. Almost...jealous.
Smirking at himself, Jude gave his hair one last squeeze, a few drops emerging from the thick, black mass before he ran his fingers through the
tangles, pulling it tightly and knotting it. Turning towards the door, he couldn't help but feel...nervous. The moment alone was over for him and it
just...hit him. He'd be sitting with Kaili's family. He'd be with them until the storm passed...which could have been hours the way it was looking
outside. And just as it should, that realization nearly made his heart beat out of his chest. Realizing that there was no delaying the inevitable, he
balled up his wet clothes, grabbed the door handle and left the bathroom, his bare feet padding down the hall, echoing in the empty space until he
found the living room again. Like a magnet, Kaili's eyes found his...as well as her mother's. He smiled weakly for a second and looked at his feet.
"I didn't know where to put my wet clothes...so..." Nervously, he shifted them from one hand to the other. "Thanks...for the clothes..."
Man has a choice and it's a choice that makes him a man...
She didn't have time to wonder where he was before Jude appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, clothes in hand as he smiled a little, his eyes
quickly finding his feet. Kaili couldn't help the smile that found her lips either, the kiss they'd shared in the hall immediately coming to mind as
she kind of stared before catching herself. Kaili's attention was thankfully drawn elsewhere as her mother spoke to him, "Just hand them here ke
aloha-," picking up a cup of tea she closed the distance between them, trading Jude the tea for his wet clothes, "You and Kaili can go back into
the living room and I'll bring you two some Lilikoi Pie-," she smiled not waiting for his response as she left them alone again. Kaili's eyes
found Jude's again and her lips turned at the corners. Was this going to happen every time she looked at him now?
She didn't speak, standing before grabbing her own cup of hot tea from the counter and heading into the living room. She figured Jude would follow if
he so chose. Of course he would follow. What other choice was there? Stay in the kitchen with her mother? Find Hoku to hang out with? He didn't know
anyone but Kaili and even though things were complicated between the two of them right now--her kiss from earlier not making things any better--he
knew he wouldn't want to be alone. She sat on the couch once again, her eyes finding Jude who had been close behind her as he stalled.
What was wrong? She resisted the urge to take his hand and guide him to a seat. He could stand if he pleased, although she hoped he would fill the
space next to her. Biting down on her bottom lip, she chuckled a little.
"You can sit if you want Jude."
I'll let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans;
be your teenage dream tonight.
Heat radiated on his skin as he looked away from Kaili and her mother's eyes and found the suddenly interesting floor, just standing there being the
ball of awkward he was when he was on the Shore. Without the Shore, he was just a loner. That quiet, broody kid with the bike. Just a boy without
enough interest in the world around him to do anything but avoid it all. But that all melted away when he came to the Shore. It was almost like the
Shore only saw who he really was. The Shore saw through the "keep out" sign that was placed over every personal thing and thought that the rest of the
island would never know. It made him open himself up wide, just so he could search for anything familiar there, leaving himself more open then he'd
ever had the chance in his entire life. He was clumsy there. Ignorant of all the things that mattered, the stranger. The odd thing. And to top it off,
he'd gone and...he'd found a friend. And the way his face burned when he gazed at her...maybe more than that.
With a jolt, his head snapped out of his thoughts, Kaili's mother's voice telling him to hand his wet clothes to her, the foreign tongue of the Shore
slipping from her lips as she took them from him, a smile that looked a little bit like Kaili's on her face. He smiled back softly, taking the mug she
held in her hands from him and leaving with instructions for the two of them to go into the living room and wait for...pie. She made pie for them. Dry
clothes, tea and...pie. Jude couldn't help but wonder if that was something his mother would've done had he come home from getting caught in the rain.
Would she have given him a towel to dry his long locks too? Would she have kissed him on the top of his head, rubbed his back with her small hand and
given him firm directions to not leave the house until the storm died down. And then...would she have told him she loved him, smiling that same
smile...almond-shaped eyes looking at him the same way Kaili's mother's did.
Following Kaili out to the living room, he watched her as she sat, another smile breaking on her lips as she sat...and he stood. For some reason, he
couldn't quite make his way to her. Maybe it was because he didn't know if closeness would be okay. If sitting next to her and...You can sit if
you want Jude. Her sweet voice called out to him, so soft. Her teeth biting at her bottom lip. Before he knew it, he'd moved towards her and sat
down...the worry leaving him like the cold of the rain had as he entered the warm house. He sank into the sofa again, this time he was much closer to
her than he'd been before, the skin of their arms brushing as he settled himself, holding that warm mug between his hands.
"You...know your brother saw us." He kind of...blurted out. Great conversations starter.
Man has a choice and it's a choice that makes him a man...
She got the nerves. He didn't know where they stood, he was in a house that wasn't his, he wasn't sure what to do. He never was sure in the Shore.
Apparently, not about anything...but she was only asking him to make a decision about one thing. Just her. She liked him and he liked her but...he
didn't know. He didn't know what to say or do next but, neither did she. He wasn't alone in his confusion, Kaili was just more willing to go for what
she wanted. And she wanted to be with Jude. She had made it pretty clear to him in the hallway mere minutes ago and Kaili could only hope that he was
the one to bring it up.
She wasn't going to badger him anymore. He knew where she stood and when he was ready--preferably some time tonight--she hoped he would show her where
he stood as well...or at least tell her. He was well on his way to doing one or the other by simply sitting down, his place on the couch much closer
than it had been when they arrived, the warm skin of his arm brushing against hers as he made himself comfortable. Kaili resisted the urge to lean
into him, her head resting on his chest as his arm stretched around her and pulled her in closer...By the Gods, she was losing it. She sounded like a
crazy person, daydreaming about things that would probably never happen...Especially not here. Her father and Keahi were probably on their way back
now; it didn't matter how much Alemana liked Jude, if he saw them like that he would kill the boy and fell no regret. She knew he would.
Jude spoke, pulling Kaili out of her thoughts. Her brother? Hm. She couldn't really bring herself to care. Hoku wasn't going to tell anyone what he
saw...unless Keahi asked specifically. It was almost sickening how much Hokuala wanted to be like Keahi and if they weren't family the little bugger
would be a stalker...but that was his older brother. She understood. Just as Hoku would understand what opening his mouth would mean. "He won't tell.
He knows I'll beat the crap out of him if he tries-," she smiled at Jude, insinuating partly that she was joking, even though she was not, and trying
to convince him that things really would be okay. He could date her and no one would have to know.
All he had to do was give them a shot...
I'll let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans;
be your teenage dream tonight.
Her brother saw. Kaili's brother saw. That was the only thing that Jude could say from the kiss they'd shared in the hallway? He hadn't talked about
how soft her lips were. He hadn't said anything about it felt to have her warmth pressed against him again and how he'd...missed it. No, he'd talked
about Kaili's younger brother catching them in the act. But that was what he had become, wasn't it? Completely obsessed. Consumed by the rights and
wrongs of a place that he'd longed so much and so hard for and now that he was here, he was still lost. And consumed was the right word because his
concern about the things that he should've known but didn't were eating him alive. When the Shore was just something he thought about, something he
wanted for, everything seemed so much more...make believe to him. He use to sit on his bed as a little kid, usually after his Unc' Li had left for the
night to work the graveyard shift and the babysitter had called her boyfriend over and sent Jude to bed early, and he would just...think. Think about
what the Shore was like. Think about what it would've been like to live there. He thought about how nice it would've been to have two Moku parents,
raising him. Teaching him. Loving him. But now, things weren't so damn simple. There were laws and rules that he didn't know. It went so much further
beyond the 'lore. And all of it swallowed him...he couldn't even see the dream the the Shore was anymore. All he saw were the rules that could be
broken.
Everything suffered from his obsession with the Shore's idea of right and wrong, including Kaili. Everything they could've been...what she wanted for
them...was barely imaginable to him because of everything that he was afraid that he didn't know. Afraid to be with her because of the things that he
was too much of a haole to know. Afraid to try to be with her because of her brother, father and obsessed stalker, otherwise known as Nui,
would do to him when they found out that he'd snuck around behind their backs. It was a fucking Catch 22. Jude knew it even if Kaili refused to see
that. And it wasn't like he hadn't wanted to just be...stupid and just jump head first into something with her. Of course he wanted to. But he wanted
to live to see her another day even more. He wanted to keep the very thin thread that connected him to the Shore, a thread that use to be her, but was
no his compliance to every rule and law there. Because now, without him knowing, things had gone beyond just being about the Shore because the Shore
meant so much more to him now...
"He won't tell..." But what if he did? What if Keahi or Alemana demanded the truth from him and he had no other choice but to tell what he
knew? God, Jude was going over the deep end with "what ifs" that night and none of them were doing anything except for making him even more tensed.
Like he wasn't tense enough. He couldn't stop watching the front door that he'd entered the house through, just waiting for Keahi and Alemana to cross
the threshold of the house. And he couldn't stop...seeing the look in Kaili's mother's eyes. The curious gaze that...whether Jude wanted to say it or
not, carried more familiarity than it did interest.
"Yeah, I guess." Jude answered Kaili's threat of her brother that Jude believed had more weight than it was joke. But what good would her beating the
crap out of her little brother do when Alemana and Keahi were a bigger threat? UGH. All of the thoughts about rules and laws of the land were
really...giving him a headache. Exhaling slowly, Jude brought the mug to his lips, letting the hot liquid flow past his lips. Wincing from the heat of
the tea, he felt his body begin to relax as the liquid coursed through him. Leaning back into the couch, he took another sip, watching Kaili out of
the corner of his eye.
"Kaili. I don't...really know what I'm doing..." An obvious statement, yeah. But he hoped she understood what he'd meant by it. He was lost. So much
more torn now than he had been because of the kiss they'd shared. But one thing he knew, is that more than ever, he was going to have to make a
decision and either direction he leaned in, the decision he made was going to change...so many things.
Man has a choice and it's a choice that makes him a man...
He was worried. She could hear it in his distant "yeah", his mind wandering, probably to the many ways it might come out that she and Jude had kissed.
Would it have really been so awful? Her father had to know the day would come when she would find a boy she liked and they would kiss. Of course, he
probably thought it'd be a boy of his choosing. Completely Moku, completely loyal to the Pueo. Jude was neither of those things but, that was kind of
what Kaili liked about him. He wasn't what her father wanted, or what her brother wanted, or what the tribe expected of an Elder's daughter. He was
who she wanted. Jude was her decision to make and the being together wasn't the worst thing that could happen. It wouldn't be the end of the
world if her father found out they were together and if it was...they would cross that bridge when they came to it.
Until then, they had a night to survive together...with her family. She was pretty sure her dad and brother were on the way back now. They knew how
her mother worried and the last thing they would want was to be trapped in a house with her pissed at them. Kaili sighed a little as a silence settle
over the two of them as Jude sipped the tea her mother had given him. She could feel the weird tension in the air of things that were going unsaid.
Kaili knew she had a lot she wanted to say; so much she wanted to ask. Why was he so afraid? Why did pissing off her father matter? Why did anything
outside of them matter to him? She was being selfish. She knew she was, she could hear it in her thoughts. All Kaili cared about was the two of them
making this work and anyone else could basically go screw themselves. That was an awful way to think.
Luckily, Jude spoke, her thoughts ending as he uttered her name. She looked to him as he told her, outright, that he didn't know what he was doing.
Ha. "Join the club-," she began with a little bit of a smile, her voice hushed, knowing how keen her mother's hearing was. "I don't either, Jude but,
I think...I think maybe we can try figuring it out...There no better teacher than experience." She smiled at him a little, before her face became hot
and she turned away, smile still lingering. She just wanted him to be okay with this. She wanted Jude to want to be with her more than he wanted to
please her father.
"Is this really about you knowing what to do...or...is this more about my father?"
I'll let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans;
be your teenage dream tonight.
Was it just about Kaili's father? Of course not. Kaili's father was important. What he thought obviously meant a lot. He was an Elder of a tribe, that
meant that the decisions he made affected the lives of a lot of people. But it wasn't just about him. It was about every male in her family. Every
male in her tribe, actually. It was about how they saw him, what they thought of him. Something inside of Jude told him that they all banned together
for that type of stuff. You know, outsiders overstepping the lines of their people? There had to be some sort of way of dealing with those
trespassers, with their disregard for the laws of their land. Jude didn't want to find out what that "way" was. At all. But at the same time, he
didn't want to keep...being afraid. Afraid of everything, not just the Moku men. He was completely terrified of it all. Of rules that he didn't know,
of being ignorant of all the things that meant so much to people who shared the same blood that ran through his veins. And of the feelings that he was
having for Kaili that he wasn't familiar with. He was totally in the "grey" with everything and it wasn't a good feeling. Without answers that were
more definite than the ones he already had, that feeling wasn't getting any better. And Kaili knew it, just as well as he did. Jude didn't have a
clue...about anything. Neither thing outweighed the other. There was nothing that he could look Kaili in the eye and readily admit to without lying to
her.
"It's about...everything." Jude admitted, shifting where he sat, the cup of tea leaning against his stomach as he slumped into the couch, Kaili's eyes
still on him. She probably wanted further explanation of what "everything" even meant. He was being so...cryptic with her. He always was. Years of not
having to express himself because no one gave more than a damn about what he felt in the first place did that to a person. There was no one really
racking his brains for the secrets that ran across his mind. Kaili was the first to even...mimic caring. And he couldn't even give her what she
wanted.
"I just wish it didn't have to be about...everything else." He admitted that before he thought about what he was saying. He wasn't admitting that he
wanted her family out of the picture at all. Her mother had been completely amazing to him, in just the couple of minutes that he'd been in their
house. But if was just...them. If Kaili hadn't been Moku...or if he'd BEEN raised Moku, if he even had a clue about the heritage that his blood
carried, maybe he would've...maybe things wouldn't have been like they were. Maybe he and Kaili could have actually...been.
"I wish that it could just be...us...sometimes." He didn't know if she would even understand what he meant. He didn't know if she could even make
sense out of his words, so he didn't look at her, ashamed that she'd think that he was too much of an outsider to be brave enough to even think of
forgetting about her father...
Man has a choice and it's a choice that makes him a man...
It's about...everything. Everything. Everything that was conspiring against them. Her heritage, her place in the tribe, her choice for it to
be him...Everything was the problem...More specifically, she was the problem. Kaili couldn't be with Jude no matter how much she wanted to
be. She kept denying a fact she knew to be true. She wanted Jude and Jude wanted her but unlike her, he wasn't ignoring the fact that he wasn't
pure-blood Moku. He wasn't someone she'd known from birth, gone to school with forever, and been teased by in grade school. He was, at the simplest
level, a stranger. To her land, her people, and to her. She would have loved to make things work with Jude but, at the present...how was she to do
that? She was being stupid. Keahi had said it earlier but, she'd ignored him, chalking it up to him being over protective. She was letting her desire
to be with Jude cloud her better judgement, her common sense. She knew they couldn't last...but did that mean they couldn't be happy in the moment?
Kaili had always been that way. Eager to do things simply because it made her happy for the moment. With a father like hers, she tested her limits
with just about everything...maybe Jude was no different? Oh God! She was accusing his motives of being centered around her father but, maybe...maybe
she was doing the same thing? Did she like Jude just because she would be defying her father's wishes? Was she using him to rebel? No. No, she
couldn't be because for whatever reason, her father was almost as fond of Jude as Kaili was herself, something else she hadn't figured out. But it
wasn't the question at hand now. Now her dilemma was bigger...
"I get it-," she sighed. She sipped her tea then, looking away because she was unsure of what to say really. She understood what he was worried about.
She got why he felt like he didn't want to be with her...it didn't change the way she felt though. A short silence settled between them and Kaili
allowed it. For once she didn't want to talk about what she couldn't have. The kiss had been a one time thing...well two times...but it was something
Jude didn't want to happen again. He didn't...want this. She got it. Kaili understood. And after a week of awkward silences, and "I don't know"s, she
was embracing why he didn't want it...or more accurately, why he felt he couldn't want it.
But when he spoke finally her eyes fell on him again. He didn't want it to be that way...She knew that too. She could see it in the way he hesitated
when she asked about them, hear it in the way that he finally spoke...feel it in the way his lips pressed to hers. Jude wanted her, probably just as
much as she wanted him but...they were at this impasse. This horribly complex impasse where neither of them could make a move. Kaili, because she knew
he wasn't ready, and Jude, because he was afraid of what the consequences might be for dating the daughter of an Elder and the sister of their tribe's
future. Ugh! It was so frustrating! And confusing! On the one hand, she wanted him not to care about the rules that were driving a wedge between the
two of them...and on the other...that would have made him a typical outsider. Ignorant and uncaring of the culture they were interacting with...She
wanted things to be simpler too...
I wish that it could just be...us...By the Gods, why couldn't it be? They were in a great place when they were together. They were
happy...when they were alone...she smiled a little at the realization she was coming to. They could make this work. They could at least test the
waters to see if they wanted to make it work. She shifted her weight, coming to face Jude as she tucked her legs under her body. She was working
overtime to control her smile as she tried to put her thoughts into words.
"Maybe...sometimes we can be-," she said it slowly, waiting to see his reaction...of course she needed to explain. She sounded like a crazy
person. "I mean, maybe, when it's just...you and me...we can be...an us?" Did he understand what she was trying to say? By the Gods, she hoped so. She
was willing to be his little secret if he was willing to do the same for her.
I'll let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans;
be your teenage dream tonight.
Admitting that to her was the hardest thing that Jude had done that day. Not sneaking out of his house against his uncle's wishes during what was
probably one of the worst storms of the season. Not getting caught on the South Shore, the place where his uncle had banned him from. And not kissing
Kaili in the hallway of a house where at least ONE of the Moku men that hated his guts. The hardest thing had been admitting to her that her wished,
after everything he'd said about the beauty of her land and her people, that sometimes, he wished they were the only things that he had to worry
about. That she had to worry about, even though most of the time it seemed like he was the only one really worrying. There was so much more at stake
for someone like him, wasn't it? Guys like Nui and her brother, Keahi, were ready to end him for just hanging out with her. What would happen if
they...actually made their feelings for each other obvious? Beyond the kiss they shared...well, kisses now. What would happen when the day came where
Jude would have to...pick her up for a date? How would that conversation go? Sure Alemana wasn't too annoyed by his presence, not like Keahi was. But
what would change when Kaili's father finally realized that their friendship wasn't just a friendship anymore?
When had it changed? When had everything stopped being about how much Jude could learn about the blood that filled his veins? No matter how much or
how little, it still flowed there. And he wanted to know everything... When had all of that changed? Not that he didn't want to find out every single
custom that he could, soaking it up like a thirsty sponge. But now, it wasn't just about the land and her people anymore. When did things change from
Jude just wanting to know the color Kai Pulehu's ocean to Jude wanting to know the color of Kai Pulehu's ocean..because the water mirrored the blue in
Kaili's eyes? Everything had gotten so crazy in such a short time that Jude couldn't even trace when things...got confusing. Different. But they were
now. He and Kaili were in the aftermath of the long walks full of folklore and the rides on his bike across the dirt roads. Now, they were standing at
the fork in the road and every way looked more dangerous and treacherous than the others.
"Kaili..." He muttered her name at her simple words...followed by her soft sigh. That sigh didn't seem like a good sign. It sound like Kaili had heard
something, yet again, that didn't fit with what she wanted. And for some crazy reason, Jude was so torn between that and living. Breathing should've
won...over everything. Avoiding her father, her brother and that meathead, Nui, seemed like the most important things as they meant Jude's survival.
But seeing the disappointment in her face? It nudged at those things, pushing them closer and closer to a place that mattered so much less than the
slight down curve of her lips. The disappointment in her eyes. He didn't want to keep making her unhappy and his stupid...stupid decision to kiss her
had started it all. Now what the fuck was he going to do? Watch her suffer and survive? Or...kiss her again and die in her arms? Dramatic, but true.
The guys in her family would kill Jude when the found out that he'd kissed her...and they'd kill him again if they ever found out that he'd done it
twice. And the crazy that was moving into his head, forcing the sanity out? It was thinking that maybe death was an okay idea...just to touch Kaili
again.
But would she want to touch him after his stupid words? Wanting to just push everyone out of the picture, just to be happy with her for one second?
One second of not worrying about the danger they were putting themselves into defying what was probably a written law to her people? It seemed she
would...her words making him look to her slowly, his eyes leaving his lap and not even thinking to look to the kitchen or the front door like he had
since he'd sat on the couch, awaiting the arrival of either her doting mother or her machete-wielding father and brother. Sometimes they could be?
What did that mean? Sometimes they could be...together? They could be an "us". What was she saying? As quickly as Jude asked himself the question
mentally, the realization hit him. They would hide it. Yeah...Jude was going to die. He was going to die a violent death and his uncle would
never be able to find his body. If anyone found out...if anyone even guessed that he was...lying about being with Kaili and that she was lying about
being with him? What would that mean?
"You mean...in secret?" He asked, wanting her to clarify, just so he could know that he wasn't hallucination her insanity. "Kaili. If anyone finds
out...we're screwed...you know that, right?" Of course she probably knew. She probably knew a lot more than he could even imagine what the price was
for lying...
Man has a choice and it's a choice that makes him a man...
She was being crazy...wasn't she? Was she really suggesting that she and Jude could hide anything from her father? Let alone a relationship?
It wasn't impossible...she had hidden things from Alemana before; when her and the girls trashed that gym, the tattoo that she'd gotten, the few times
she and Ailani had snuck out of the house...she'd done it then...but she had Keahi's help. Her older brother allowed all of those things to happen
because he knew Kaili needed a little bit of her freedom. Keahi had approved of all of that...he didn't approve of Jude. Hiding this from Alemana
would be easy enough but, would she be able to do it without Keahi's help? Without him finding out? Ohh, she didn't know what to do. All she knew was
that she wanted to be with Jude. She knew how "wrong" it was but, she liked him. Outsider or not. Jude had been really good to her in the short time
they'd been hanging out and all that he'd asked for in return was a little history. Something no other outsider even cared to think about. Jude was
obviously different, he was obviously good...until she could make Keahi and her family see that, she would make this secret thing work. She
would.
That was if he was willing to try. Her words were careful when she made the suggestion, hoping it made enough sense for him to understand what she was
saying. She wanted them to be together and if the other things were making it so they couldn't then she would make the other things stop effecting
them. Keahi couldn't be any madder than he already was if she and Jude remained friends...when he was around. What her brother didn't know wouldn't
hurt him...or Jude. And eventually, when the time came, Kaili would explain to him that she and Jude were together and her brother would be happy for
her. Despite his...overprotective tendencies when it came to boys, Keahi loved his little sister. He wanted what he thought was best for her. Why he
thought that was Nui she would never know but, it was time that Kaili took a stand in what she thought was best for her. And she was sure that was
Jude.
Or at least she wanted to see if it was Jude. She watched his face change as he processed what she was saying, asking her to clarify what she was
saying. Yes. They could be together in secret. Friends, like they were now, in front of the tribe, but...more when they were alone. Kaili
nodded, her smile fading little by little. He wasn't excited about the idea. Hell, he didn't like it period. If anyone finds out... Kaili
sighed again, looking away from him as she searched for the words. She couldn't convince him of anything if he was going to keep going back to "what
if"s. What if her father found out? What if Keahi fought him for dating Kaili? What if they both died tomorrow? What if they both just
dropped dead tomorrow morning and never got the chance to give their relationship a try? Would he die with regrets? Because the same thing was
happening...
"And what if no one finds out? What if no one finds out and we're good together, Jude?" she paused, her hand coming to rest atop one of his as her
eyes connected squarely with his, the ultimate question pushing at her lips. "Can't we just try?"
I'll let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans;
be your teenage dream tonight.
What if? What if they were caught? What if her father, her brother...Nui...what if they found out what Kaili and the haole had been doing
right behind their backs? What would they do to her? And what would they do to him, to the outsider that made fools of them right underneath their
noses? Not like they trusted him at all...well Nui and Keahi didn't, a sneer on their lips and enough words to remind him just how much he didn't
belong. But Alemana trusted him. Trusted him enough to let his only daughter ride around on the back of some kid with dirty blood's bike, trusted Jude
enough to let his only daughter tell the story of their land. And this was how Jude was repaying Kaili's father's kindness. With secrets and lies?
But...what if? What if they did hide things between them? What if they were careful? What if his Uncle kept not hearing him sneak out, headed for the
Shore...just so he could be with her? There were so many what ifs. There were so many things that they were gambling with, like Jude's safety, for
one. There were too many opportunities for things to go horribly wrong and not enough chances for things to go completely right. The what ifs were
muddling Jude's brain, so much so that her hand coming to rest on top of his caused him to jump, his eyes coming to hers.
Can't we just try? Couldn't they? What was so wrong with Jude dropping all of the "What if's" that kept plaguing his mind and just...give her
what she wanted? He'd been so stuck on saying "no", on trying to protect her since their kiss on the walking trails. Trying to protect her, but more
than that, trying to protect himself. If there was anyone that had more to lose, it was him. There was Unc' who would completely send him to some
military school or boot camp once he found out that Jude was dating a girl on the side of the island that he was banned from for life. And then the
danger of breaking a rule that he neither knew, nor was privy to? That made it even worse. But with all of the protecting that he was so caught up on
doing, all of the thinking, that what Kaili wanted kind of went unanswered. Looking at her, he couldn't help but feel...sorry...about that. The want
in her eyes made him feel even worse.
"I..." I. Why was that the only word that he could say? I. Like everything revolved around what he wanted and nothing even touched what she wanted.
Like the only thing he cared about was what happened to himself. The chance of death by tribe was valid though, but...it was still a "what if". It
wasn't a definite. It wasn't as definite as a chance to be with the only thing, outside of knowing his parents and a place to belong. It was a chance
to be with Kaili. A chance to forget about everything that he could lose and think about what he could...win. With an unsure smile, biting the inside
of his lip as he looked at her eyes, he noticed the same uncertainty there that he was feeling. She was unsure too. She didn't know what would happen,
but she wasn't going to let it stop her. Nor would he.
He started to speak, but he quickly stopped, hearing her mother's voice from the kitchen again, asking if they were doing "okay". With a smile, Jude
stayed quiet, his fingers moving to lock with hers, a slight nod accompanying it.
Man has a choice and it's a choice that makes him a man...
She was tired of the "what if"s. Tired of all the things that they had to think about to force a relationship that they hadn't even started yet into
working. She didn't understand why everything had to be so complicated. As much as others liked to pretend it, Kaili was not the Akame that
represented this family. Kaili should have been able to do whatever she wanted. Keahi was tied to to legacy, Keahi was the next Elder, Keahi was the
tribe's golden boy; not Kaili. Kaili was basically nobody to anyone and all she wanted was this boy. Jude. She wasn't denying that Akame wasn't only
her tribe but, her name and she wasn't saying that how she was presented to her people wasn't important but, who she dated shouldn't have
mattered...it shouldn't...
But it did and because it did, she would have to go to extremes to do as she pleased. She was willing to be with Jude in secret if that's what it
took. She knew the risk she was asking Jude to take and she knew how selfish it made her seem but, she also knew how much he wanted this too. She
wouldn't have asked this of him if she wasn't absolutely sure about...them. She kept saying "try" but, she wholeheartedly felt like Jude was for her.
She didn't really know why but, she knew he was who she wanted to be with.
And as he looked to her, unsure smile on his face, she hoped she saw him wanting the same thing. He opened his mouth to speak but, was stopped by her
mother checking in on the two of them, her voice sounding from the kitchen. She sighed, her eyes turning toward the kitchen to respond to her deciding
to check with them at this particular moment but, her words were stopped as well, Jude's hand moving in hers as his fingers fell between
hers. Her eyes snapped back to his smiling face as he nodded his agreement to be with her in secret. She couldn't help the smile that took over her
features, the urge to kiss him overtaking her. She willed herself not to though, her lips moving to finally answer her mother, "We're fine-," she
responded vacantly, her eyes never leaving Jude, "Great...actually."
She could have kept that moment. Holding hands in her living room with her first...boyfriend. Jude Kane was her boyfriend...and even though she could
tell no one, that small, inconsequential fact meant nothing compared to the way she was feeling about Jude Kane being her boyfriend.
What did take the smile from her face was the sound of the front door opening, the laughter of her brother as he entered probably followed by her
father and, from the sound of things...a very unwanted guest.
I'll let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans;
be your teenage dream tonight.
"Don't act too upset that duty's over early, boys..." Alemana's voice quieted Keahi's loud laughter to a hushed chuckle as he shoved,
playfully against Nui's broad chest. Their wet boots squelched, heavy with water, with every step they took up the stairs to the Akame house, Nui's
second home. Not just Nui's, but the entire tribe's. That house had its doors opened wide to anyone whose blood carried the legacy of Akame.
Because the Elders and Pueo were always accessible. Always watching... Even on a night like this, the storm that the news reporters had been
warning land dwellers about for a straight week now was hitting their island with a vengeance. The tall, leafy bushes that surrounded the house
thrashed in the building winds, beating against the sides of the home. The high pitched sounds of the eye of the storm were in the distance,
announcing their arrival through the darkness. He, Alemana and Keahi had gotten back to the house in just enough time to avoid outrunning the really
high winds. One thing that hadn't outrun? The rain. They'd trekked around and through it for what was definitely hours before Alemana called the rest
of the Pueo in, saying the rain was too thick for their patrol to be "useful". With those words and no hesitation, everyone returned to their homes,
bracing themselves for the coming storm. Alemana was right, no one was going to chance their life to make trouble on the Shore that night. And with
that knowledge, Nui knew where his next place of business was. Alemana and Keahi didn't even question him when he took off after them, headed toward
their home.
"You think you're funny, brah..." Nui muttered as Alemana pushed the front door open. "But I guarantee your sister will be more than happy to see..."
Words froze in his fucking throat as the front door swung open and his eyes met the couch in the living room. The couch where he would soon
be sitting, kicking up his feet, eating lilikoi pie, his arm around a waiting, smiling Kaili. Well, Kaili was smiling...but she sure wasn't waiting
for Nui. There was no need to as that goddamn Kāne kid was sitting next to her. For the fucking love of...really?! This kid was
everywhere! Everywhere he shouldn't have been. The beach, the trails...and from what Nui had heard, even the Falls, which were clearly forbidden to a
little asswipe outsider like him! And now...and now he was in the Akame house?! Twilight Zone. He was in the fuckin' Twilight Zone!
Flaring his nostrils as he stood in the doorway, his steps not following Alemana or Keahi's, his fists clenched as he heard his name whispered.
Looking up quickly, he noticed that Keahi hadn't gone too far and his eyes were...warning Nui? Warning him?! Yep, that was a warning. A clear "keep it
together, man", which Nui shook his head slowly to as he stepped into the house, eyes glowering at the Jude kid.
"Judy...the fuck are you doing here?" He growled, stepping towards the couch as his stare never fell from the little haole's face. He looked like a
wet, shriveled rat. Just like his fucking Uncle...
"Nui." And as soon as they'd started, Nui's steps stopped, Alemana's voice breaking through the silence and bringing him to a halt.
Soaked. He was completely soaked through, his hair stuck to his face as he teased Nui yet again about Kaili. He was coming home with them mostly to
hang out with Keahi, sure but, a little probably to spend time with Kaili. Ha. More like annoy the shit out of her. Nui was his ace, he was. But,
Keahi couldn't help but find the humor in his infatuation with Kaili. She was completely uninterested in Nui and no amount of convincing from him or
even her own brother was going to change her mind about that...He didn't see why not though. Nui was a good guy...mostly. Keahi had known him since
they were both in diapers, making a solid friendship when they were 6 and had run off into the forest and been lost for three days. They'd survived
that together and had been connected ever since. Keahi didn't trust anyone in the Pueo more than he trusted Nui and as hard as he tried, he couldn't
make his sister see that. Sure, he'd been with half the female population on the Shore but, he was dependable and more importantly, he was loyal. And
more important still, he was Moku. One hundred percent Moku...unlike the boy Kaili had chosen to spend most of her time with lately.
Jude Kane. The complete and total opposite of everything that was his tribe. He was ignorant, he was disrespectful, and he was not from the
Shore. His sister had taken a liking to an outsider and if it hadn�t have been sanctioned by the only person that had a hold on his life, he
might have killed the boy, on sight. But Alemana demanded not only his survival but, eventually his inclusion. In-fucking-clusion? Really?
Every time Keahi thought about it it threatened to kill him...or worse, get someone else killed. He couldn't believe his father, the last man on
earth he would have thought would push for the adoption of an outsider, was doing so now. And with someone so...unworthy. But he would do as
he was told...
And he would obviously be doing it tonight, his eyes spotting that God-forsaken bike in front of his home. The outsider was here. And if Keahi knew
his mother well enough, he was staying until the storm passed. They were going to be trapped in his own home with a fucking stranger that he would
probably end up protecting as he already knew Nui's idea of this particular outsider. If he hadn't before, it sure as hell became apparent as Nui's
words stopped, his eyes finding Jude and Kaili on the couch. Stepping forward Keahi bent to remove his shoes, his eyes finding Nui's as he silently
told him to keep his cool. He knew he wouldn't but, the part of him tied to the tribe had to at least try...the part of him that was friends with Nui
wanted him to lay into this haole fuck with all he had...and that was only because he couldn't himself.
He chuckled, bending to remove his shoes as Nui asked what "Judy" was doing here. Ha. His father's voice stopped his short chuckle, Nui's name acting
as a simple reprimand. Ugh. It was going to be a night of this...His mother appeared as Keahi came to stand again, her hands holding towels for each
of the them. He smiled at her reaching for one as his lips met her cheek. He passed it to Nui, pushing it into his chest to draw his attention away
from Jude, at least for a while. "Relax-," he said to Nui, sure he'd have to explain eventually...what he could anyway.
He was about to tell Nui he could get a shower first, if only to get away from Jude, but his father spoke first, "Jude is a guest in this home and
he's welcome just as you are, Nui." Keahi sighed. It was going to be a long night.
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